25-1-2023

30 years after the discovery of APC

How the identification of one of the most important tumor suppressor genes improved (hereditary) cancer genetics and patient care

Prof. Stefan Aretz is deputy head at the Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, Germany. He is professor of genetics of familial tumor syndromes.

The identification of the APC tumor suppressor gene was certainly a milestone of cancer genetics. It is one of the most important gatekeepers of the gastrointestinal mucosa, a key driver gene of colorectal tumorigenesis, and the first causative gene for hereditary colorectal cancer, specifically adenomatous polyposis. The talk describes the historical background, the exciting thriller of gene discovery, the consequences for patient care and research, and the most important related developments since then.